Public Comment

EDITOR'S NOTE: We've spent a good deal of time studying the ballot, and were just sitting down to type up and post our recommendations when we discovered that Margot had already done the work. We agree with almost all of her choices, though we will probably skip voting for some unopposed incumbents whose performance in office has been a disappointment. P,S. We're skipping some incumbents whose opponents don't seem any better.

She notes these organizational endorsements:

Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club (Wellstone)

California Association of Retired Americans (CARA) 

Berkeley Citizens Action (BCA) 

Berkeley Progressive Alliance (BPA) 

League of Women Voters (LWV) 

California Teachers Association (CTA) 

NATIONAL OFFICES:
President: JOE BIDEN—Wellstone, BCA, BPA, 

Vice-Pres: KAMALA HARRIS —Wellstone, BCA, BPA, 

Congress: BARBARA LEE —Wellstone, BCA, BPA,
California State Senate, Dist. 9: NANCY SKINNER—Wellstone, BCA, BPA, 

California State Assembly, Dist. 15: BUFFY WICKS —Wellstone, BCA, BPA, 

Superior Court Judge, Office #: ELENA CONDES-- Wellstone, BCA, BPA,
BART Director, District 7, LATEEFAH SIMON --Wellstone, BCA, BPA,
Peralta Community College District Board of Directors, Area 1: JEFF HEYMAN—Wellstone

BERKELEY MAYOR:
Mayor: Jesse Arreguín,
Wellstone Club, BCA, BPA

BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL:
District 2 Cheryl Davila,
Wellstone, BCA, BPA, Green Party, .
District 3 Ben Bartlett,
Wellstone, BCA, BPA,Green Party,
District 5 Sophie Hahn,
Wellstone, BCA, BPA,
District 6 Richard Illgen,
Wellstone, BCA, BPA, Green Party,

RENT BOARD:
Dominique Walker, Mari Mendonca, Xavier Johnson, 

Leah Simon Weisberg & Andy Kelley:
ALL: Berkeley Tenants Unit, Wellstone, BCA, BPA, Green Party,

SCHOOL BOARD:
Ana Vasudeo--Wellstone, BCA, BPA,
Laura Babitt,--Wellstone, BCA, BPA, Green Party, 

AC Transit District Directors 

At-large, Chris Peeples— Wellstone, BCA, BPA, 

Ward 1 Jovanka Beckles, —Wellstone, BCA, BPA, 

Ward 2 Jean Walsh —Wellstone,
East Bay Regional Park District Director, Ward 1, Norman LaForce—BCA, BPA,

BERKELEY MEASURES:
YES ON ALL: Wellstone, BCA, BPA
YES: FF. Fire, Emergency Services and Wildfire Prevention Tax (2/3 vote). I 

ncreases property taxes to pay for firefighting, emergency medical response, wildfire prevention.
YES: GG. Tax on rideshare trips (Uber, Lyft), when trip originates in Berkeley
YES: HH. Utility Users Tax. Increases utility tax on gas & electricity; creates climate action fund.
YES: II. Police Accountability Charter Amendment. New Independent Police Accountability Board 

to investigate & act on police misconduct.
YES: JJ. Charter Amendment: Mayor and Council Compensation (majority vote). 

Increases mayor’s council’s compensations. Wages reduced during economic downturn.
YES: KK. Charter Amendment: . Firefighters not required to live near Berkeley; City Attorney 

to be responsible to Council; replaces gendered terms in city charter.
YES: LL. GANN: Authorizes Berkeley to continue spending funds.
YES: MM. Rent Stabilization Ordinance (majority vote) Bans eviction of tenants for 

nonpayment of rent during emergency; newer rental units and single-family homes and 

condominiums to register with rent board and pay fees; adds ADUs to rent protections. 

Owner-occupied, single-family homes with only one ADU exempt from rent control.

ALAMEDA COUNTY MEASURE:
YES: W Alameda County Measure W: Half-cent Sales Tax increase
to compensate for falling revenue during pandemic (majority vote)
Wellstone, .

STATE PROPOSITIONS
YES: 14 (Stem Cell Bond)
For: Wellstone, BCA, BPA, Cancer and Diabetes Researchers. Opposed: ??
YES YES!: 15 (restores $12 Billion to Schools and Communities)
For: Wellstone, BCA, BPA, LWV, CTA. Opposed: Jarvis Taxpayers
YES: 16 (Restores Affirmative Action)
For: Wellstone, CA, BPA, LWV, CTA, ACLU. CARA, legislators, Unions. Opposed: Business, Racists.
YES: 17 (Voting while on Parole)
For: Wellstone, BCA, BPA, ACLU, LVW. CARA,Opposed: Prison guards.
YES: 18 (Allows 17-year-olds to vote)
For: Wellstone, BCA, BPA, CARA, Ret. USAF, USArmy. Opposed: Jarvis Taxpayers.
YES: 19 (Higher Property Taxes for Inherited Property)
For: Oppose: Jarvis Taxpayers
NO NO!: 20 (longer sentences and less parole)
Opposed: Wellstone, BCA, BPA, ACLU & SEIU, CARA, For: Private prisons. guards.
YES YES!: 21 (Local Rent Control Initiative)
For: Wellstone, BCA, BPA, Bernie Sanders, ACCE.CARA,Dolores Huerta. Opposed: Jarvis Taxpayers.
NO NO!: 22. (Classifying App Drivers as Independent Contractors instead of Employees)
Opposed: Wellstone, BCA, BPA,CARA, Biden, Harris, Warren, Unions. For: Uber, Lyft, Doordash.
YES: 23 (More oversight of Dialysis Clinics)
For: Wellstone, CARA, BCA, BPA, SEIU-UHW West. Opposed: Calif. Medical Association, Dialysis companies.
NO: 24 (Increased Online Data Privacy)
Opposed: CARA, BCA, BPA, ACLU, Media Alliance.
YES: 25 (Banning cash bail)
For: Wellstone, CARA, BCA, BPA, Berkeley NAACP; Opposed: Chambers of Commerce Bail Bonders ,